Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-09-26
DAILY HERALD.
LIFR IN BRAZILIAN FORESTS.
Soue Observations Of n Latel!
Returned Traveller.

sene Observations of n Lately
Returned Traveller.
Clarence B. Riker, of South Orange,
q member of the American Ornitho-
logical Society, has just returned from
two months OF bug and bird hunting
in the forests Of Brazil. "My wife
and l." said Mr.. Riker to Nail and
Express reporter to-day, went by
steamer from here to Para at the
mouth of the Amazon. There we
changed to smaller steamboat, that
took us up the river 500 miles to San
tarem. There we took canoes and
were padded by Indian boys through
miles Of narrow channels that wind in
and out through a vast region of
flooded f. rest. After we had gone as
far as we could in canoes, an OK cart
was backed hub deep into the water,
and we transferred ourselves and bas-
gage to it. We then rode along we'll
beaten forest paths, extending for
miles through magnificent timber.
the dense foliage made a perfect
shade, and the paths were as hard as
our roads.
"When we arrived at the plantation
which we had decided to make our
headquarters, we found comfortable
house with concrete walls, tiled roof
and hammock beds. The planters
have fowls, swine and cattle, and
raise the principal vegetables and
fruits that we have. The seeds of the
palm tree are made into various
nourishing dishes. One of the staple
articles of diet is a fisL called pirarucu.
1t is dried for the market and resem-
bles Goldfish. The natives live almost
entirely on bananas and farinha, a
coarse meal made from the man.
dioca root. Many of the planters
raise sugar cane, and from it
make whisky to supply to the
rubber gatherers. The fermented juice
of the palm is another drink used by
the natives, and a delicious wine is
made from fruit called caju, and also
from Juice extracted from the pulp
surrounding the cocoa bean. This
drink is universally liked by foreign
ers, but for the others one must
acquire the taste.
"There are very few mosquitoes,
but there are some things worse. The
mocoene, an almost microscopic in |
sect, clings to the flesh, and if not
removed by rum or lemon juice,
causes severe irritation. Large vam-
pire bats often fly in ones face at |
night. They are four times the size
of our bats. Many natives bear scars
from their teeth.
"Tarantulas were frequently seen on
the veranda, and sometimes in the |
house. Their bite is not considered
deadly, but the minute hairs with |
which their barb is covered are pois-
Onous, and cause terrible irritation.
il we left the doors Of the house open
at night, large toads weighing pound
and q half apiece would hop in. One
night my wife was awakened by hear
ing some animal moving in the room.
We could see nothing, but from the
sound we were sure that it must be a |
tiger or at least wildcat. On strik-
ing light, it turned out to be pos
sum.
"Alligators were plentiful in the |
brook near the house, and deadly |
snake called the siracucu is frequently |
found crouching in the paths of the |
forest. We captured a boa con-
strictor twenty-five feet long. Rattle
snakes are numerous on the campos |
or open plains.
Leaving my wife at the planta-
ton, ] made excursions into the for
eat in search of birds and insects. l
generally went with three or four
other Americans and several Indian
guides. AT night the Indians would
make a matched house out of palm
leaves. When thirsty, we would
cut the root of the tape
reba, which is hollow and contains
nearly pint of water. Game was
plenty. There were wild hogs, tapirs
monkeys, wild turkeys, peccaries and
q variety of birds. We frequently saw
the tracks of jaguars near our hut, but
did not meet any of them. To obtain
some rare specimens of birds we pene-
trated far into the depth of the forest.
I measured one palm leaf and found it |
to be forty feet in length.
There were rosewood, mahogany |
and many woods not found else |
where. In the flooded districts l saw
sloths hanging upside down and feed
ing on the leaves of the trees. Nu-
merous butterflies, brightly colored,
and birds with brilliant plumage
abound. And on the banks of the
rivers at evening l saw thousands of
white egrets. l was very successful
in collecting, as brought back over 800
birds, 10000 insects and the skeletons
of ant-eaters, sloths, American tigers,
and many other animals.
obtained bow and five arrows,
in fight between rubber
packers and tribe of Parintintin In
dams, who had attacked them. These
Indians are perfectly wild, and live in
the deep recesses of the forest. They
are cannibals. | also brought home a
young tiger. Its mother was shot while
feeding on an OK which she had killed.
To keep the tiger company brought
a large coatia or spider monkey. He
was caught when young, and is now
entirely domesticated. IN. Y. Mail
and Express.
A Royal Divorce Suit.
King Pomare, the fifth ruler of the
Gociafv TcIouds aud tho Ia ndr fhot Iio